Warmth
by EchidnaPower
Summary: It's New Years Eve, and the recently married Ash and Misty Ketchum are ready to host their first ever holiday party at their home together, but when a snowstorm makes it so no one can arrive safely, Misty is saddened. But will they really end up spending their New Years Eve alone? Or will surprise visitors warm their hearts? Read to find out.


**Well, Sonic got the Christmas content, so Pokemon is the one that will get the New Years story. Tomorrow is New Years Eve, and I wrote this story as a substitute gift for someone on Tumblr. Now, you all can get a chance to read it too. I hope you enjoy! I own nothing except the story.  
** _

Misty hated the cold.

She hated how all the lakes and ponds would freeze over and turn the very thing she lived for into a hard and frozen chunk that she couldn't swim in unless she burned a hole through the ice like some kind of ice fisherman, and she sure didn't plan on getting in the water even if she could do such a thing.

The necessity to wear four layers of clothing wherever you went, and even then it didn't stop your nose from freezing and giving you a bad case of the sniffles. She could give you a million and one reasons why she hated the cold if you asked her - and would probably make you sit through all of them - but there was one thing that made it bearable for her this year, something special that she would cherish for many more years to come.

This was her first winter season as the wife of none other than her longtime childhood crush, Ash Ketchum.

They had gotten married in the spring time, and each day they spent as a married couple felt like another honeymoon to the redheaded Gym Leader. Just being able to wake up next to him every morning brought her a warmth both inside and out that she could never get enough of. It was even enough to overcome her disdain for the cold weather, and she'd even enjoyed in partaking in a snowball fight with her friends, something she never envisioned herself doing before changing her last name to Ketchum.

Christmas came and went, and everyone had gathered together at Prof. Oak's laboratory to enjoy Christmas dinner and exchange gifts. But for Misty, all the gifts she received - while she liked and appreciated them - still didn't compare to incredible blessing that was the incredible warmth she felt whenever Ash was near. He had been everything Misty hoped for and more. He was kind, caring, understanding and supportive. All Misty ever really wanted in life - besides her professional goal - was to be loved, and Ash gave that to her in abundance.

Now, it was December 31st, and Misty had spent all day preparing for the arrival of all of their friends to their home in Cerulean City, which had been a wedding gift from all of them combined. Each holiday, someone else had been the host. Thanksgiving, Christmas, but Misty insisted on getting New Years Eve, and it was only a matter of hours before everyone was scheduled to arrive.

"Isn't this exciting Ash?!"

For his part, Ash had been doing his best to help his giddy wife with preparing the party platters and helping her clean up around the house. Of course, his best usually did more harm than good in the kitchen, so Misty relegated him to simply washing the grapes they would be eating at the stroke of midnight, for what reason Ash still didn't know.

"Yeah Mist, I just hope that snowstorm out there doesn't mess anything up." Just as he said that, the phone began ringing. "Misty!"

"Busy! Can you get that for me?"

Ash sighed and quickly wiped his hands with a towel before rushing over to the phone and picking it up just before the answering machine took over. "Hello?" Ash smiled at the voice on the phone. "Oh hey! What's up?" But as the conversation continued, Ash's smile slowly began to fade. "Yeah, I understand...no, don't worry about it, I'll let Misty know. Thanks for calling." Ash put down the receiver and sighed. "Aww man."

"Who was that Ash?"

The Pokémon trainer stiffened and he turned around to see his beautiful wife positively beaming at him, and he felt his throat tighten as he walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Misty...that was Brock."

Seeing the sorry look on her husband's face, Misty's heart clenched. "Is everything ok?"

"Well, no one's hurt. But they're not coming." Ash dropped his head a bit when Misty gasped in disbelief. "The snowstorm is just too severe, they had to stop at the nearest Pokémon Center or they would've been trapped." Ash watched as Misty rushed over to the nearest window and looked outside, and moments later, she slowly turned around with her arms around herself. "I'm sorry Misty."

Misty shivered and stood in place, suddenly feeling very cold as all her plans had been shot down by a freak snowstorm. "I can't believe this." she looked up at her husband. "What about Delia? Is _she_ not coming either?"

Ash shrugged helplessly. "I haven't talked to her...but honestly Misty, even if she _did_ plan on coming, would you want her to test the storm?"

"I..." Misty slumped even more and shook her head despondently. "No...I'd want her to stay safe."

"I knew you would." Ash sighed and opened up his arms. "C'mere Mist." Ash soon had his arms wrapped around his redheaded wife, as he softly ran his fingers through her hair as she snuggled into his chest. "Hey," he whispered. "We can still have a good time tonight, we can call out all our Pokémon, curl up on the couch with some hot chocolate and watch some cheesy Christmas movie, your pick."

"Extra marshmallows?"

"Extra marshmallows."

Misty looked up into Ash's chocolate-brown eyes and relinquished a small smile. "You're so good to me."

"Nah," Ash pulled back and placed his hands on her arms. "I'm just trying my best to give you what you deserve." he pulled her into the kitchen where they made lots of hot chocolate, and as soon as it was done, the married couple called out all their Pokémon and started giving everyone their own hot chocolates. "Well guys, looks like it's just us tonight for New Years, the snowstorm out there is keeping everyone from getting here, so we'll have to make the best of it." Suddenly the phone started ringing again, and Ash gave his wife a sympathetic look. "Go pick the movie Mist, I'll take care of it."

"Ok."

Ash went over and picked up the receiver with a sigh. "Hello?"

 _"Hi honey."_

"Oh," Ash smiled a little. "Hi Mom, are you ok?"

 _"Yes I'm fine, but I'm afraid I won't be able to make it to your party tonight, the snow is simply dreadful!"_

"Yeah, I had a feeling." Ash nodded. "Well, you stay safe ok? We'll see you soon."

"Ok honey, I love you. Happy New Year!"

"Love you too Mom, Happy New Year." he hung up the phone and headed over to the couch, where Misty was sitting with her knees hugged to her chest after pushing an old classic into the DVD player. "Mom's ok, but she's not coming."

"I figured." Misty exhaled through her nose and leaned against Ash's side, closing her eyes as she tried to take in his warmth. "Let's just...try to make the best of it ok?"

Ash smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pressing a feather soft kiss on the top of her head. "You got it Mist."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

About halfway through the annual viewing of Stantler's Little Helpers, Misty had fallen asleep in his arms, leaving only Ash and the Pokémon still watching. "Pikapi?" Ash turned to see Pikachu crawling over to him. "Pika pika, Pikachupi pika?"

"She'll be ok buddy, she's just sad that her party didn't get to happen. With that storm out there, no one can get here."

Pikachu looked down a moment, but then his ears perked up. "Pi?"

"What's up Pikachu?" Then Ash heard a weird noise. "What's that?" he turned to the window, and his eyes widened in shock at what he saw. "Oh no way, no freaking way." the Pokémon trainer's brow furrowed as he stared at the all too familiar trio. "Hey Misty," he gently shook his wife awake. "Guess what? We have visitors."

Hearing that, Misty's eyes widened and she sat up straight. "We do?!" she looked in the direction Ash was pointing in, and her own eyes widened before narrowing in anger. "Is this a joke?"

"I wish it was." Ash sighed. "That's _Team Rocket_ shivering in our window." He turned back to the window when he heard them rap at it again, and he saw them begging to be let in. "Should we?"

Misty also sighed before she nodded. "Let's do it." she got up and went over to the door to open it, and three half-frozen figures suddenly rushed, bringing a mound of snow with them. "You're welcome." she scoffed.

"I c-c-c-can't believe h-h-how cold i-it is out there." Jessie said as she rubbed her arms vigorously.

"Yeah, w-wonder who turned down the air conditioner." James added.

"You three are unbelievable." Ash scoffed as he glared at them with his arms crossed over his chest. "I'd ask what you were doing out there but I get the feeling I already know."

"Heh, guilty as charged." James shrugged weakly.

"We were hoping we'd get ta nab Pikachu while you two loveboids made out with each other, but den dat snowstorm showed up outta nowhere and almost froze us ta death!"

Both Ash and Misty kept their angered expressions, but they couldn't help but blush at Meowth's statement. "Well, it's not happening. We've got both of our teams out ready to take you down at the drop of a hat, and I don't think you wanna go out there to make your escape anyway."

The trio looked at each other for a few moments, before finally nodding in defeat. "As much as I hate to admit it twerp, you're right." Jessie quickly put on a smug expression as she tried to save face with her usual bravado. "I for one don't plan on becoming a living snowwoman, so we're officially declaring a holiday truce, at least until the storm blows over."

Ash and Misty just looked at each other, sighing in exasperation. "Well, you might as well get comfortable," Misty said. "You're not going anywhere for a while and I don't feel like standing here for the next however many hours."

"Agreed."

As Jessie went over to the couch, James leaned in to whisper to Ash. "Um...if you wouldn't mind, that hot chocolate smells delicious...would it be ok if I had some?"

Unfortunately he didn't whisper quietly enough. "James!"

The light-blue haired man flinched at Jessie's outburst and looked over to see her glaring at him. "I'm sorry Jess, but I haven't had a good hot chocolate in _ages!"_

Somehow, Ash couldn't help but chuckle. "You want some hot chocolate?" James nodded excitedly at him. "Alright, I'll let you have some."

"Really?!"

"Really?" Misty gave her husband a weird look.

"Sure, there's plenty to go around, might as well not let it go to waste." Ash looked down at Meowth, who was looking up at him in shock. "How about you Meowth? You want some too?"

"Well as long as you're offering, yeah I want some! Tanks a lot!"

Ash then looked towards the couch. "Jessie?"

The magenta-haired woman snubbed her nose at him. "If James and Meowth want to give in to your twerpish hospitality, that's _their_ prerogative. I will _not_ allow myself to owe you two _anything."_

"That doesn't even make sense." Misty grumbled as she walked into the kitchen.

Ash however just shrugged. "Your loss then." He then addressed the two rocket males. "I'll be right back with your hot chocolate you two."

"Thanks so much!"

The Pokémon trainer smiled and nodded, and he turned to enter the kitchen, and saw his wife leaning over the sink upon entering. Judging by her stance, she was not happy. "Misty...what's the matter?"

"What's the matter?" she echoed before turning around to face him. "Team Rocket is in our house, they came here under the pretense of stealing Pikachu _again,_ and we're treating them like houseguests!"

Ash shrugged helplessly. "Well Mist, when life gives you lemons-"

"I complain about the lemons!" Misty cut him off with a snarl. "This isn't some distant relative I have to paste on a smile for Ash, it's _Team Rocket_ out there! You know, the same people who have been making your life miserable for twelve years! From age ten to age twenty-two, they have chased you around _relentlessly_ trying to capture Pikachu, I can't imagine that the head of Team Rocket is so invested in your Pikachu that they've been trying to get their hands on him for twelve years, those three out there are just _obsessed!"_

Ash frowned and went over to wrap his wife into a hug, and she fought him for a few moments trying to get out of his grip, but he stood firm and kept her locked in his embrace, until finally she settled down and sighed. "I know tonight isn't going exactly the way you planned Mist, and I'm sorry I can't make the storm go away, even a Sunny Day attack would only last for a few minutes before it wore off...but...we can still have a good time, even if it _is_ with Team Rocket, if we try to."

"How can you be so calm about this?"

"Well, I guess it's just because I don't see them as that bad right now." Misty gave him a confused look. "What I mean is...I know who they are and what they've been doing, but the weird thing is Mist...whenever we've been caught in a situation like this that forced us to work together...we've actually gotten along just fine, you know that."

"Yeah," Misty grumbled. "I know."

"I think we can make this work." Ash smiled softly and lifted her chin so he could look her in the eyes. "Look, we have a party platter already set, they're probably starving as usual, why don't we show them what Ketchum hospitality is really all about? Who knows? Maybe we can learn more about what makes them tick."

Misty smiled begrudgingly at that. "Not fair, you used my last name against me again."

"And I'll keep doing it as long as it keeps working." Ash leaned down and placed a soft kiss on the redhead's lips, and when he pulled away, they both had dreamy expressions on their faces. "There's my Misty, love that smile."

Misty looked into his eyes. "If I'm gonna have to deal with Team Rocket in my house, you're gonna have to make it worth my while, so I'll take a few more of those, if you don't mind."

"Ask and ye shall receive." they engaged in another kiss, as Ash gently sucked on his wife's bottom lip, his hand running through her long red hair that he'd come to adore so much. With as much passion as they were beginning to feel, it began to escalate.

"Um, excuse me?"

Until a timid voice abruptly broke them apart.

"Oh! I'm sorry!"

"N-No! No, i-it's ok James!" Ash said breathlessly. "Um, sorry about that, your hot chocolate...h-here, come in here and gimme a hand, we have some snacks that we were planning to have out before the storm hit."

"I'll just uh...go outside and talk to Jessie or...something." Misty ran her fingers through her hair to get it back in order, and she snuck a loving smile to her husband before steeling herself and walking past the male rocket member. "So," she said, getting Jessie's attention. "Since we're gonna be here a while, we might as well get to know each other a little better."

"Oh?" Jessie raised a suspicious eyebrow.

Misty shrugged. "Sure, I mean, there's gotta be more to you than Team Rocket, you weren't always with them right? I mean, I know you were a member of a biker gang before." Misty was surprised when the magenta-haired woman looked away. "Jessie?"

"I...don't really like talking about what happened before Team Rocket."

"How come?" When Jessie just squeezed her eyes shut, Misty realized that she might've bitten off more than she could chew. Clearly, something in Jessie's past was eating at her. "Jessie...if you really aren't comfortable talking about it, you don't have to."

The older woman opened her eyes, and as memories began running through her mind, she couldn't help but release a few hot tears which she promptly rubbed away with her arm. "Quite frankly twerpette, it really isn't any of your business...but...as long as I'm here, you might as well know why I joined Team Rocket, it's not like I have anything better to do."

Slowly, the redhead nodded. "Ok, I'm listening."

As Jessie began to regale to Misty her life story, James was in the kitchen with Ash having a similar conversation. "So James...do you ever regret not marrying Jessebelle and getting your inheritance?"

"Not for a second!" James clenched a fist at the very thought of the crazed woman. "You've seen firsthand exactly how demented she really is, so you should easily understand why I would _gladly_ scrounge for food with Jessie and Meowth as a member of Team Rocket than be held hostage in the elitist society I first escaped from!"

"Ok, relax, I was just asking." Ash chuckled nervously as he went to the fridge to pull out the cheese platter. "But you know, and please don't be offended...Jessie has a lot of those same traits you hate so much in Jessebelle, and I'm not talking about their appearance."

James took the cheese platter and placed it on the counter with a neutral expression. "I'm not offended," he said quietly. "You're absolutely right in your assessment. In many ways, Jessie and Jessebelle are quite similar."

"So how have you two managed to stay friends for so long?"

James smirked. "I think that question can be answered with another question. How have you and the twerpette managed to stay friends for so long?"

"Ok, first off, her name is _Misty,_ and I'm Ash. If you're gonna take shelter in our house, the least you could do is use our names."

"My apologies, Ash."

Ash nodded. "Good...as for your question, I guess Misty and I just sort of...clicked, I dunno." Ash looked down as he thought. "We fought a lot when we were kids, but there was never anyone I could count on more when the going got tough. She was there for me, and when we parted ways after Johto, it was like a part of me was missing."

"That's precisely the way I feel about Jessie." James replied with a smile. "She and Meowth have been the only ones whom I've been able to count on in my whole life, them and my beloved Pokémon of course. Jessie may be bossy and she may be aggressive, but I always know beyond the shadow of a doubt that she cares about me, even if it's deep down underneath all of her anger and frustration." James then took a tray of vegetables Ash handed him and placed it onto the counter as well. "So you see twerp - I mean, Ash - that is why I've stayed with Jessie for so long. She cares for me, and there's no one I can count on more in life than her, even my own parents never cared for me as much as she and Meowth do."

"So you stay with Team Rocket and starve to stay with them?" Ash raised an eyebrow. "With all due respect, that doesn't sound like much of a life."

"It isn't." James admitted with a sigh. "But when the alternative is to leave them behind to marry a psychopath, it's a far better life than what I could have...but even if Jessebelle weren't insane, I don't think I'd leave them anyway. They've become my new family, and I will never abandon them."

"Wow, pretty impressive James, really."

"Yes, well...a man has to have his priorities." James looked back up at Ash. "Truth be told, I have no desire to continue as a member of Team Rocket. The boss has all but forgotten we exist, and I truthfully feel like we could be doing much more productive things with our time...together."

"So why not quit and be done with it?"

James sighed and looked to the ground. "Jessie doesn't want to leave Team Rocket. It's the only stability she's ever known, and she's afraid that if she quits, there won't be anything left for her." James looked back up again. "We're not that young anymore, Ash. Did you know I'm thirty-seven years old? We've been chasing after Pikachu since we were twenty-five, and I truthfully couldn't care less about stealing Pokémon...but if Jessie wants to keep doing it, then I'll be there for her, no question."

"Sounds like you feel more for Jessie than you're willing to admit...if my experience with Misty means anything, it sounds to me like you love her."

James looked into the living room where Jessie was talking...rather seriously to Misty. "I'm not afraid to admit it. I do love her, more than anyone else I've ever known. But, I'm afraid if I tell Jessie, it'll ruin what we already have."

"That sounds familiar." Ash chuckled to himself. "Look James, if I hadn't taken the plunge a few years ago and asked Misty to be my girlfriend, I wouldn't be where I am today. I married my best friend, do you have any idea how awesome that is? Jessie's your best friend, and if you two share a bond as strong as you say you do, then go for it, take that chance! Who knows? Maybe you'll get to make a new life together."

"Perhaps one day." James smiled a bit. "Thank you Ash...you know, now that I talk to you like this, you really aren't so bad."

"The feeling's mutual." Ash grabbed one of the trays while James grabbed the other one. "But just be aware, if you try to steal our Pokémon again, this whole friend thing we've got going goes right out the window and into that snowstorm."

"I know." James sighed. "I've been trying for some time now to get Jessie to move on from Team Rocket, but every time I broach the subject, she sort of...withdraws into herself. She used to just get mad...but lately..." James stopped talking when he walked into the living room and saw Jessie sobbing in Misty's arms, and he nearly dropped the platter onto the ground at the sight. "Jessie!" he rushed over to the couch and placed the tray onto the coffee table, sitting next to her and grabbing her shoulder. "Jessie, what's the matter?" the only response he got was when Jessie suddenly turned and lunged into his arms, still sobbing hysterically. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back comfortingly, whispering into her ear. "It's ok Jess, it's gonna be ok."

Needless to say, Ash was shocked by the display, and moments later, Misty pulled him aside and led her husband back into the kitchen. "What was that all about?"

Misty took a moment to take a deep breath before answering. "Jessie was telling me her life story..." she rubbed her arm in discomfort. "I was expecting some kind of vain lie about how she was so awesome and people were jealous of her success, you know, regular Team Rocket stuff."

"Yeah, I was actually expecting some of the same from James."

"Well the thing is Ash...that's not what she gave me. She told me how her mother disappeared when she was young, how she got put into a foster home when she was five and she had to eat snow because sometimes there was no food to eat there...she tried to become a nurse but was rejected and had to go to a Pokémon nursing school instead, that's how she knew the Blissey back in Happy Town in Johto..." Misty actually began to tear up herself now. "She didn't get to become a nurse because she wasn't a Pokémon, she flunked out of Trainer School because some jerks switched out her scores and made it so she failed everything...she missed out on true love because she was trying out to become an actress at one point and she wasn't accepted with the only other friends she had...she finally joined Team Rocket because she couldn't think of anywhere else to go..." she looked up at her husband with watery eyes. "And the worst part Ash...is that I could tell she was telling the truth."

Ash took an involuntarily step back when Misty suddenly lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his torso, and then he wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back. "Wow Misty, I had no idea she went through so much."

"Neither did I," Misty sniffed and looked up at Ash. "All she ever wanted in life was to be loved...just like me...is it wrong that I suddenly don't hate her?"

"Naw Mist, it just means that you care about people. Hearing about other people's struggles isn't easy, even if they're members of Team Rocket."

"Yeah...I guess." Misty freed one hand to wipe her face. "So...what'll we do now?"

Ash pulled back and smiled softly at her. "We be good hosts, and make sure they know what it's like to have friends. Who knows? Maybe if we treat them like people instead of as Team Rocket, they may decide that they'd rather be friends than enemies."

The redhead gave a small laugh. "Ever the optimist." Misty hugged him one more time before pulling away. "Well let's go then, we have guests to entertain." the two entered the living room, and immediately froze when they saw what was happening. "Oh my gosh!" Misty whispered.

There on the couch, Jessie and James were having a makeout session that seemed to be releasing what looked like years of pent up tension and frustration. "Uh Misty...how long do we let them go like that for?"

"We only stop them if we see clothes come off, until then, let them be..." Misty smiled. "It looks like Jessie finally got what she's always wanted."

"Yeah," Ash also smiled. "James too."

"'Bout time." The married couple looked down and saw Meowth standing there with them. "Dose two dopes have been holding back for _years,_ weird how it took talking ta you two ta get dem to finally admit dere feelings for each otha."

"You knew?" Misty asked.

"'Course I did, but dey wouldn't wanna hear it from me, dey woulda just figured I was teasing 'em." Meowth wiped a tear from his eye. "Finally my dear Jess and Jimmy have come togetha, it does a Meowth's heart good ta see dem happy at last."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The rest of the night went without further incident, although Ash did tease the newly formed couple a little before moving on to other things. As for Misty, part of her was still in disbelief that she was actually having fun with Team Rocket of all people. After the heart-to-heart, suddenly Jessie and James seemed much more human than she was ever willing to see them. They laughed, they made jokes, Ash had even pulled out an old game of Scrabble which led to a lot of laughs as James made a bunch of words no one else knew.

About two minutes before midnight was meant to strike, Misty muted the television that had been broadcasting the drop of the large Forretress ball in Hearthome City in Sinnoh that would signify the new year and addressed everyone. "I just wanna say something...I planned this party for my friends and family, and I honestly thought the night was gonna be ruined, especially when you three showed up at our doorstep...but I have to be honest, I had a great time, and you guys really aren't so bad once you get past the Team Rocket parts."

"Well, we thought about that." James gently took hold of Jessie's hand, and the woman blushed at the intimate contact. "We've actually come to a decision I think you both will be excited to know." James nodded towards Jessie, who took a deep breath before speaking up.

"We're leaving Team Rocket." that statement was met with loud cheers from all the Pokémon who were strewn about the house and Jessie continued where she left off. "After what's happened tonight, between James and I, I mean...I realized that I want a life better than what Team Rocket could provide. The boss doesn't even care about us, and wondering where your next meal is gonna come from is terrible. It won't be an easy transition...but I think as long as James and Meowth are by my side, I can handle anything."

"And you know I'll be there for you Jessica...forever and ever." James lightly kissed her hand, and he was suddenly tackled by Meowth who had wrapped his arms around his neck in joy.

"You two are takin' me with ya?!"

"Of course Meowth! You've been a part of our little family for years, we don't need Team Rocket." James raised a determined fist. "We can make our own destinies! With all the different occupations we've pretended to do over the years, surely we can take at least one and turn it into a true career, and make an honest living, and not be starving for days on end. Consider that my New Year's resolution!"

"I'm so happy for you guys, really! And, I have something for you!" Misty suddenly rushed to the kitchen, and she soon returned with several plastic cups and a large container of grapes, and she went around the room distributing twelve grapes in each cup for the Pokémon until she finally came to the humans and did the same, only for them, their cups were filled with sparkling cider as well as the grapes. "A friend of mine told me about this tradition they do at their house and I thought it would be fun. When midnight strikes, we eat one grape per chime of the clock, and each grape is supposed to mean good luck for the new year."

"Wait, does that mean no kiss to start the new year?" Ash whined.

Misty rolled her eyes with a smirk. "Ok, we kiss first, then we eat the grapes."

The Pokémon trainer suddenly smiled. "I can deal with that."

"Me too." Jessie grinned seductively at James, who merely blushed and chuckled bashfully.

Misty giggled at the display and held up her glass. "A toast," the others held their own glasses up. "To new beginnings."

"To new beginnings." the humans all clinked their glasses and took a sip of the cider. Just then, the ball began to drop, and Misty unmuted the television so they could hear the broadcast. "Alright everyone," Ash shouted as the Pokémon gathered around. "Time to count down to the new year! Ready?"

"Ten!"

"Nine!"

"Eight!"

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Happy New Year!"

As soon as that shout was made, and cheering rang out throughout the house and from the television, the two couples consummated the new year with a kiss. Though the kiss meant slightly different things to each of them, it all essentially boiled down to one thing.

The love and bond they shared was one that wouldn't be broken no matter what, and in the case of Jessie and James, it was also a symbol of the new lives they were getting ready to create with each other. If there was one thing they could thank Team Rocket for, it was that they brought them together, and forged a bond so strong that not even a Machamp could pull them apart.

As for Misty, her New Year's party didn't turn out at all like she'd imagined, but in the end, she decided that it turned out pretty good. She now had new friends, ones that used to be enemies no less, and the warmth inside their cozy Cerulean City home made Misty feel like she was on top of the world. Pulling back for a moment to see Jessie and James still in a state of bliss, Misty looked into the deep, chocolate-brown eyes of her husband and smiled. "Happy New Year Ash." she whispered.

"Happy New Year Mist."

They leaned in for another kiss, reveling in the taste of each other's lips and the warmth spreading throughout their bodies as the love they shared was exchanged through the intimate contact. She may have had the cold to thank for ruining what she'd originally planned, but then and there, Misty decided that if she could give someone surprisingly like her - someone who only wanted to feel the same warmth and affection she'd always craved - the same blessing she'd been given through Ash...

It was beyond worth it.  
_

 **A/N: Well, what'd you think? Admittedly, this is the first time I've ever written any substantial Rocketshipping content, and even now it's kind of a backseat thing to Ash and Misty. But I rather like the idea of Misty getting to know Jessie on a human level, and not just as "Team Rocket Grunt" Jessie. In many ways, Jessie and Misty are the same. They both want to be loved, so I think Misty would feel for her.**

 **Anyway, Happy New Year everyone, I hope you enjoyed this story. And I hope that soon I'll have more for you.**


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